University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Harvard
Harvard Eludes Women's Lacrosse 10-8
February 27, 2010 | Women's Lacrosse
Feb. 27, 2010
Box Score | Season Stats | PDF Stats | Career Stats
AMHERST, Mass. - Alexis Dal Col and Jen VanderMeulen combined for nine goals as Harvard outlasted the UMass women's lacrosse team 10-8 on Saturday at McGuirk Stadium. It was the second time in as many games that the Minutewomen fell by a 10-8 margin. Merritt Cosgrove and Haley Smith each had two goals for UMass which falls to 2-3 on the season.
The Minutewomen will return to action on Wednesday, March 3 at McGuirk Stadium against New Hampshire. The game will be the third of four straight home games for UMass.
Along with Cosgrove and Smith, Nina Sarcona, Jesse O'Donnell, Dayna Defliese and Ryan Gorman all tallied goals on the day. VanderMeulen added an assist to her four goal effort to lead all players with five points. Danielle Tetreault (1 goal) was the only other Crimson player to score.
Defliese put the Minutewomen on the scoreboard first with a free position goal just over three minutes into the contest, but Dal Col and VanderMeulen scored back-to-back goals to give Harvard a 2-1 advantage with 23 minutes remaining in the first half.
O'Donnell scored with 8:37 remaining in the first half to tie the game at 4-4, but Dal Col and VanderMeulen scored consecutive goals in the final 3:32 giving Harvard a 6-4 lead at halftime.
Dal Col scored just over five minutes into the second half to give Harvard its largest lead of the game at 7-4 before the Minutewomen once again rallied to tie the game at 7-7 with 14:56 to go. Cosgrove scored both her goals in that run, while Ryan Gorman added her second of the season.
Smith's second tally of the game knotted things at 8 each, but VanderMeulen responded with another go-ahead goal with 11:16 to go.
The Crimson strung together several long offensive possessions to run out much of the remaining time and played stingy defense to keep the Minutewomen from tying the game once again.
With 57 seconds left, Dal Col scored on an empty net. On the ensuing draw control, the Crimson were able to win possession but turned the ball over giving UMass another shot.
UMass gave the ball back to the Crimson who ate up another 24 seconds before turning possession over once again. The Minutewomen were unable to score in the final 33 seconds, however, as Harvard earned its first victory of the season.
The Minutewomen held a slight 24-to-22 shot advantage while the groundball battle went Harvard's way 16-to-9. UMass also led in draw controls, 11-to-9, but managed just 9-for-14 on clearing attempts while Harvard was a perfect 10-for-10.
Katherine Martino earned the win for Harvard in goal making seven saves, while Katie Florence took the loss for UMass also making seven saves.
